Measurement of elemental composition of carbon and composite ceramic materials using PIXE and RBS methods

With the help of the PIXE and RBS methods, the elemental composition of a ceramic coating on Zr alloy, surface layers of heat-treated TiNi alloy, and Ar+ implanted pyrolytic graphite is investigated. It is shown that the PIXE and RBS methods are complementary and their combined use can provide additional information on the elemental composition of the surface layers. It was determined that the microarc oxidation of Zr alloy in an electrolyte with addition of ultrafine Y2O3 powder leads to introduction of Y in the substrate material. An effect of the surface segregation of Ti was found in TiNi alloy after the heat treatment.